Opinion & Analysis

The 4 Biggest Myths About Biomechanics

Published

7 years ago

Apr 12, 2017

So what’s the point of biomechanics anyways?

It seems that I hear more negative comments about this word “biomechanics” than positive. “It’s making golf too complicated” is what I hear most. I have to admit that I thought this for a long time myself, but when I dived into the subject and started talking with actual “biomechanists” (PhDs doing the research) and coaches who have a deep understanding of the concepts, things started to change for me.

I realized no one had actually explained to me what biomechanics was or how we should look at it. Now, I’m excited to dive into the topic and help spread the word about what’s actually going on. To that end, let’s break down the 4 biggest myths about biomechanics so we can separate fact from fiction.

Myth #1: It’s a Method or Model of Teaching Golf

First, let’s define what biomechanics is so we’re all on the same page. It’s “the study of the structure and function of biological systems by means of the methods of mechanics.”

What I’ve picked up when talking with biomechanists is that they’re trying to figure out WHAT’S going on and WHY with golfers. It’s not about one method of swinging the golf club or finding people with some perfect metrics; it’s a study of a topic just like anything else in the world. And in their study, biomechanists are observing tremendous variability among golfers, regardless of skill level.

“What we’re finding is a lot of variability even if we have really good players,” says Dr. Scott Lynn.

Biomechanics isn’t just a term that’s related to golf. In fact, there are biomechanists that work in other sports like gymnastics, track and field and in the medical arena. You’ll find that most biomechanists who work in golf also do research in other sports and arenas.

Myth #2: It Makes Things More Complicated

Does biomechanics make golf instruction more complicated? It might seem that way if you’re looking at the data and some of the scientific papers for the first time. There are a lot of measurements, theories and concepts to learn, and there’s no question they can be overwhelming at first.

The best instructors I know have invested a lot of time educating themselves on biomechanics because they say it helps them make SMARTER decisions and communicate with more SIMPLICITY to their students.

“It just helps me to get there quicker,” says Top-100 Instructor John Dunigan of his study of biomechanics.

When you look up the word biomechanics you’ll find two goals. The first is to improve PERFORMANCE; the second is to avoid the risk of INJURY. To do that, there are two fields that are being looked at in biomechanics: kinetics and kinematics.

“Kinetics” is the study of forces that produce motion. A force is happening anytime two things come in contact (your hand on the club, your feet on the ground). There are three forces that act on the golf club during the swing: gravity, air resistance and the forces that the golfer applies to the grip with their hands. The last one, the forces the golfer applies to club, are by far and away are the major determinants of how the club moves.

The second area of study is “kinematics,” which examines actual motion without regard to the forces producing it. Anything that looks at movement is going to be related to kinematics, and this is what we’ve spent most of our time talking about in the golf world over the years. One aspect of kinematics you might have heard of is the kinematic sequence, which shows rotational velocities of different body segments. Using this data, we can learn to optimize efficiency and produce more power.

Myth #3: It’s All Graphs and Numbers

When you measure a golf swing and look at what’s going on you get a lot of numbers, graphs and data, but biomechanics isn’t just data. It’s not just motion-capture info or a pressure-mat reading. Biomechanics is looking at what those numbers mean and their influence on people and their movement patterns.

Without great tools to measure and assess the coaching, the training and study of biomechanics will always be limited. In fact, it’s because of the new technologies and new measurement devices that the study of biomechanics has been able to grow.

The goal of any instructor is to take all the data and make a smarter decision. Ultimately, a golfer has to get feedback in a way that allows them to make a meaningful change. That might be a certain swing “feel” from a biofeedback device like K-Vest or a swing thought about weight shift from a pressure mat like BodiTrak. At the end of the day, the numbers are observational tools that can establish baselines to help golfers and golf instructors make meaningful and quantifiable changes.

Besides looking to improve performance, biomechanics also attempts to help reduce the risk of injury. This aspect is definitely difficult to look at and follow through with in the real world. Telling players to reduce their performance potential to decrease likelihood of injuries is a line most players aren’t willing to cross.

“There’re just so many factors that go into injury,” says Dr. Sasho Mackenzie, a top expert in the field of biomechanics. “It’s subjective to the individual in terms of their body’s tissues ability to repair itself, to sustain multiple repeated forces over and over again. It becomes really, really challenging to predict…”

Myth #4: I’m just trying to break 90. Does it really matter?

A lot of people ask if they should get fit for clubs if they’re not an elite golfer, and the answer is typically going to be a resounding “yes” from any coach or instructor. The same is true for biomechanics.

Wouldn’t you want to have an instructor or coach with knowledge of how the body and swing works? Someone’s whose studied the best science and research and can make better decisions about what path to take you down?

Again, biomechanics is not about swinging the club in a specific way. The goal is to help you improve your performance as quickly as possible while reducing the chance of injury. That’s beneficial to any level of player.

So, what’s the future for biomechanics in golf?

The future is bright for biomechanics. As technology improves, it’s only going to be easier to capture more data and analyze what’s really going on and why in the golf swing.

“I think we’re still in our infancy,” says Dr. Phil Cheetham. “I mean, there are a million things we can look at and man, it’s a fun time right now.”

The biggest shift is going to be golf instructors taking their education seriously and understanding the topic so well that they improve their communication and decision making when working with golfers.

If you’re interested in learning more, over at the Golf Science Lab we’re spending the next few months diving into biomechanics and making it as simple and understandable as possible. Check out the podcast here.

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Cordie Walker

Cordie has spent the last four years working with golf instructors, helping inform thousands on business and teaching best practices (if you're a coach or instructor check out http://golfinthelifeof.com/). Through that he's realized that it's time for the way golf is taught to be changed. When looking at research and talking with coaches and academics, he's launched the Golf Science Golf Science Lab , a website and audio documentary-style podcast focused on documenting what's really going on in learning and playing better golf.

20 Comments

Bob Pegram

Apr 24, 2017 at 3:58 am

K-Vest does help, in certain circumstances, reduce the likelihood of future injury, but only when used by a highly trained professional or clubfitter. Titleist does the training for injury prevention and for swing efficiency. They are separate training. In other words, somebody trained in one may not be trained in the other one.

Reply Report comment
Bob Pegram

Apr 24, 2017 at 3:53 am

All that matters is what any swing changes do in the hitting zone. As long as the changes don’t increase the likelihood of injury, or, better yet, reduce them, the path, speed, and aim of the head at impact are what matter.
Do machines that measure this part of the swing help? Yes, but the teacher needs to explain why angle of attack, inside-out or outside in swing path, and face angle are important. He also needs to explain how any swing mistakes affect these.

Reply Report comment
Smiller

Apr 19, 2017 at 11:36 pm

When I try to lean my shaft properly I cannot feel the pressure. Am I doing something wrong? I am thinking my shaft is not quite stiff enough.

Reply Report comment
Ron

Apr 13, 2017 at 10:31 pm

While its good to gather different information or opinions, a good teacher adapts to the student rather than force the student into a hard set of guidelines and structured teachings.

Reply Report comment
- Jim
  
  Apr 14, 2017 at 3:54 pm
  
  There’s a thousand miles between those two statements….Adapt to the student? At what point? When they can break 100 or 80. Maybe 1 out of a thousand who comes in a ridiculous set up, grip is breaking 90 and they’re stuck. They’ll never break that plateau – unless like a junkie or alcoholic they admit there’s a problem they can’t fix themselves and make the changes necessary to get better. Period. You can’t polish a 15 year shitty golf swing for someone to finally drop 15 shots and break 80….BUT that’s not saying there’s always the special few already playing & scoring really well with some pretty ugly moves….
  
  But, they’re generally happy and don’t take lessons…..NOW, if one starts really hurting his back and seeks my help to fix it, I can identify what he’s doing poorly that’s increasing the stress on the back and show him how to fix it….THAT’S NOT A ‘HARD SET’ of guidelines… What you are describing is someone teaching their swing method or philosophy. Good / bad biomechanics are just that and only that. You’re either moving efficently and maximizing the body’s effforts for the task at hand – or not.
  
  Come to me for help, you’ll get 110%. Refuse to change something I absolutely know is screwing up your ability to do the next move or stop the pain?
  
  Go away – I can’t fix stupid, and odds are you’re no Jim Furyk
  
  Reply Report comment
larrybud

Apr 13, 2017 at 10:09 pm

Like anything else in golf instruction, the information is only as good as the instructor. The study of biomechanics is certainly not bad in and of itself, but how that information is used. Same goes with things like video and launch monitor data. It’s just information.

However, when sequencing charts are misunderstood, or when instructors don’t understand camera angles and parallax errors, or when they go chasing launch monitor numbers, you’re going to be in a world of hurt.

BTW, #2 certainly isn’t a myth in the hands of a bad instructor, or even with a good instructor but with a student who doesn’t learn using technical information. If you’re blathering about spine angle, P3, P4, Px, or smash factor to a student who doesn’t care and doesn’t want to know about that, then you’re teaching incorrectly for that particular student.

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Forthewin!!

Apr 12, 2017 at 11:28 pm

Learning the concept can help your current swing. The hardest part is getting all the info to slowly become a natural part of your swing. I think the key is to not try and become a different golfer, but use the knowledge to enhance your current athletic ability.

Reply Report comment
Progolfer

Apr 12, 2017 at 9:54 pm

I worked with a bio-mechanical coach, and unfortunately, the “myths” were realities. My game never got so bad, and I developed aches and pains. All the while, he kept telling me to stick with it. I won’t name him, but he is one of the sought-out bio-mechanical coaches in the country. Don’t waste your time or money trying it!!

Reply Report comment
- Mat
  
  Apr 13, 2017 at 5:56 am
  
  Yup. +1
  
  Reply Report comment
Nathan

Apr 12, 2017 at 4:55 pm

Golf bio-mechanics is unfortunately a joke at this point.

Bio-mechanics are just analyzing the ‘effects’ without getting to the ’cause’.

Tiger is with a bio-mechanic and can’t keep Tiger from getting stuck.

Obviously Como’s bio-mechanical ‘knowledge’ is not effective or worse…

Reply Report comment
Jack

Apr 12, 2017 at 2:30 pm

There is a “tremendous variability among golfers, regardless of skill level”? You need to read “Swing like a Pro: The Breakthrough Scientific Method of Perfecting Your Golf Swing” co-authored by Dr. Ralph Mann and Fred Griffin. They found there is hardly any variability among the swings of professional golfers. Dr. Mann is a former Olympic hurdler who has a Ph.D in Biomechanics. Griffin is a golf professional. I think I’ll stick with their findings.

Reply Report comment
cgasucks

Apr 12, 2017 at 11:59 am

Butch Harmon said himself he doesn’t know what biomechanics even is and he seems to have an ok career as the coach. His record speaks for itself.

Reply Report comment
david

Apr 12, 2017 at 11:52 am

I would take Harvey Penick as a teacher any day of the century over technical/biomechanical teachers such as Leadbetter or Sean Foley. I’ve watched their teachings and get dumfounded.

Reply Report comment
Steve S

Apr 12, 2017 at 10:00 am

I’m all for using biomechanics in golf. Just like I think using physics in analyzing the golf swing has resulted in the exploding of myths about the golf swing. However, both need to be applied by people well versed in the subject. That ain’t happening with your typical golf coach. Any PhD and MD versed in biomechanics is not going to come cheap.

Reply Report comment
ooffa

Apr 12, 2017 at 9:03 am

Nothing can replace feel.

Reply Report comment
- Jalan
  
  Apr 12, 2017 at 9:19 am
  
  Can’t agree with that. I can ‘feel’ as though I made certain moves in the golf swing, yet when I see a video of that swing, I find I did not do what I felt. That doesn’t mean it was a bad swing, it means it wasn’t executed the way if ‘felt’.
  
  Reply Report comment
- bver
  
  Apr 12, 2017 at 9:53 am
  
  Really? You can “feel” that you’re reverse pivoting and over rotating? I’ve given thousands of lessons, and I can tell you that nobody can “feel” what they’re actually doing.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Mower
  
  Apr 12, 2017 at 11:35 am
  
  Well, you know the saying, “Feel & Real are two different things.”
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Andrew Cooper
    
    Apr 12, 2017 at 12:42 pm
    
    The feel is always real, it just may not match up with the visual.
    
    Reply Report comment
- larrybud
  
  Apr 13, 2017 at 10:04 pm
  
  Rarely does a player feel what is real.
  
  Reply Report comment

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Opinion & Analysis

The Wedge Guy: What really makes a wedge work? Part 2

Published

4 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Terry Koehler

In my last post, I explained the basic performance dynamics of “smash factor” and “gear effect” as they apply to your wedges and your wedge play success. If you missed that post, you can read it here.

At the end of that post, I promised “part 2” of this discussion of what makes a wedge work the way it does. So, let’s dive into the other two components of any wedge – the shaft and the grip.

It’s long been said that the shaft is “the engine of the golf club.” The shaft (and grip) are your only connection to all the technologies that are packed into the head of any golf club, whether it be a driver, fairway, hybrid, iron, wedge or even putter.

And you cannot ignore those two components of your wedges if your goal is optimizing your performance.

I’ve long been an advocate of what I call a “seamless transition” from your irons into your wedges, so that the feel and performance do not disconnect when you choose a gap wedge, for example, instead of your iron-set-matching “P-club.” In today’s golf equipment marketplace, more and more golfers are making the investment of time and money to experience an iron fitting, going through trial and error and launch monitor measuring to get just the right shaft in their irons.

But then so many of those same golfers just go into a store and choose wedges off the retail display, with no similar science involved at all. And that’s why I see so many golfers with a huge disconnect between their custom-fitted irons, often with lighter and/or softer graphite or light steel shafts . . . and their off-the-rack wedges with the stock stiff steel ‘wedge flex’ shaft common to those stock offerings.

If your wedge shafts are significantly heavier and stiffer than the shafts in your irons, it is physically impossible for you to make the same swing. Period.

To quickly improve your wedge play, one of the first things you can do is have your wedges re-shafted with the same or similar shaft that is in your irons.

There’s another side of that shaft weight equation; if you don’t have the forearm and hand strength of a PGA Tour professional, you simply cannot “handle” the same weight shaft that those guys play to master the myriad of ‘touch shots’ around the greens.

Now, let’s move on to the third and other key component of your wedges – the grips. If those are not similar in shape and feel to the grips on your irons, you have another disconnect. Have your grips checked by a qualified golf club professionals to make sure you are in sync there.

The one caveat to that advice is that I am a proponent of a reduced taper in your wedge grips – putting two to four more layers of tape under the lower hand, or selecting one of the many reduced taper grips on the market. That accomplishes two goals for your scoring.

First, it helps reduce overactive hands in your full and near-full wedge swings. Quiet hands are key to good wedge shots.

And secondly, it provides a more consistent feel of the wedge in your hands as you grip down for those shorter and more delicate shots around the greens. And you should always grip down as you get into those touch shots. I call it “getting closer to your work.”

So, if you will spend as much time selecting the shafts and grips for your wedges as you do choosing the brand, model, and loft of them, your scoring range performance will get better.

Vincenzi’s 2024 Wells Fargo Championship betting preview: Tommy Fleetwood ready to finally land maiden PGA Tour title

Published

3 days ago

May 6, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

The PGA Tour season ramps back up this week for another “signature event,” as golf fans look forward to the year’s second major championship next week.

After two weaker-field events in the Zurich Classic and the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, most of the best players in the world will head to historic Quail Hollow for one of the best non-major tournaments of the year.

Last season, Wyndham Clark won the event by four shots.

Quail Hollow is a par-71 measuring 7,521 yards that features Bermudagrass greens. The tree-lined, parkland style course can play quite difficult and features one of the most difficult three-hole stretches in golf known as “The Green Mile,” which makes up holes 16-18: two mammoth par 4s and a 221-yard par 3. All three holes have an average score over par, and water is in play in each of the last five holes on the course.

The field is excellent this week with 68 golfers teeing it up without a cut. All of the golfers who’ve qualified are set to tee it up, with the exception of Scottie Scheffler, who is expecting the birth of his first child.

Past Winners at Quail Hollow

2023: Wyndham Clark (-19)
2022: Max Homa (-8)
2021: Rory McIlroy (-10)
2019: Max Homa (-15)
2018: Jason Day (-12)
2017: Justin Thomas (-8) (PGA Championship)
2016: James Hahn (-9)
2015: Rory McIlroy (-21)

Key Stats For Quail Hollow

Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes gained: Approach will be extremely important this week as second shots at Quail Hollow can be very difficult.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

Akshay Bhatia (+1.16)
Tom Hoge (+1.12)
Corey Conners (+1.01)
Shane Lowry (+0.93)
Austin Eckroat (+0.82)

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee

Quail Hollow is a long course on which it is important to play from the fairway. Both distance and accuracy are important, as shorter tee shots will result in approach shots from 200 or more yards. With most of the holes heavily tree lined, errant drives will create some real trouble for the players.

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Past 24 Rounds:

Ludvig Aberg (+0.73)
Rory McIlroy (+0.69)
Xander Schauffele (+0.62)
Viktor Hovland (+0.58)
Chris Kirk (+0.52)

Proximity: 175-200

The 175-200 range is key at Quail Hollow. Players who can hit their long irons well will rise to the top of the leaderboard.

Proximity: 175-200+ over past 24 rounds:

Cameron Young (28’2″)
Akshay Bhatia (29’6″)
Ludvig Aberg (+30’6″)
Sam Burns (+30’6″)
Collin Morikawa (+30’9″)

SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs

Players who thrive on Tom Fazio designs get a bump for me at Quail Hollow this week.

SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs over past 36 rounds:

Patrick Cantlay (+2.10)
Rory McIlroy (+1.95)
Tommy Fleetwood (+1.68)
Austin Eckroat (+1.60)
Will Zalatoris (+1.57)

Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass)

Strokes Gained: Putting has historically graded out as the most important statistic at Quail Hollow. While it isn’t always predictable, I do want to have it in the model to bump up golfers who prefer to putt on Bermudagrass.

Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:

Taylor Moore (+0.82)
Nick Dunlap (+.76)
Wyndham Clark (+.69)
Emiliano Grillo (+.64)
Cam Davis (+.61)

Course History

This stat will incorporate players that have played well in the past at Quail Hollow.

Course History over past 36 rounds (per round):

Rory McIlroy (+2.50)
Justin Thomas (+1.96)
Jason Day (+1.92)
Rickie Fowler (+1.83)
Viktor Hovland (+1.78)

Wells Fargo Championship Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: Off the Tee (23%), SG: Total on Fazio designs (12%), Proximity: 175-200 (12%), SG: Putting Bermuda grass (12%), and Course History (14%).

Wyndham Clark
Rory McIlroy
Xander Schauffele
Shane Lowry
Hideki Matsuyama
Viktor Hovland
Cameron Young
Austin Eckroat
Byeong Hun An
Justin Thomas

2024 Wells Fargo Championship Picks

Tommy Fleetwood +2500 (DraftKings)

I know many out there have Tommy fatigue when it comes to betting, which is completely understandable given his lack of ability to win on the PGA Tour thus far in his career. However, history has shown us that players with Fleetwood’s talent eventually break though, and I believe for Tommy, it’s just a matter of time.

Fleetwood has been excellent on Tom Fazio designs. Over his past 36 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on Fazio tracks. He’s also been incredibly reliable off the tee this season. He’s gained strokes in the category in eight of his past nine starts, including at The Masters, the PLAYERS and the three “signature events” of the season. Tommy is a golfer built for tougher courses and can grind it out in difficult conditions.

Last year, Fleetwood was the first-round leader at this event, firing a Thursday 65. He finished the event in a tie for 5th place.

For those worried about Fleetwood’s disappointing start his last time out at Harbour Town, he’s bounced back nicely after plenty of poor outings this season. His T7 at the Valero Texas Open was after a MC and T35 in his prior two starts and his win at the Dubai Invitational came after a T47 at the Sentry.

I expect Tommy to bounce back this week and contend at Quail Hollow.

Justin Thomas +3000 (DraftKings)

It’s been a rough couple of years for Justin Thomas, but I don’t believe things are quite as bad as they seem for JT. He got caught in the bad side of the draw at Augusta for last month’s Masters and has gained strokes on approach in seven of his nine starts in 2024.

Thomas may have found something in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage. He finished T5 at a course that he isn’t the best fit for on paper. He also finally got the putter working and ranked 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting for the week.

The two-time PGA champion captured the first of his two major championships at Quail Hollow back in 2017, and some good vibes from the course may be enough to get JT out of his slump.

Thomas hasn’t won an event in just about two years. However, I still believe that will change soon as he’s been one of the most prolific winners throughout his PGA Tour career. Since 2015, he has 15 PGA Tour wins.

Course history is pretty sticky at Quail Hollow, with players who like the course playing well there on a regular basis. In addition to JT’s PGA Championship win in 2017, he went 4-1 at the 2022 Presidents Cup and finished T14 at the event last year despite being in poor form. Thomas can return as one of the top players on the PGA Tour with a win at a “signature event” this week.

Cameron Young +3500 (DraftKings)

For many golf bettors, it’s been frustrating backing Cam Young this season. His talent is undeniable, and one of the best and most consistent performers on the PGA Tour. He just hasn’t broken through with a victory yet. Quail Hollow has been a great place for elite players to get their first victory. Rory McIlroy, Anthony Kim, Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark all notched their first PGA Tour win at Quail.

Throughout Cam Young’s career, he has thrived at tougher courses with strong fields. This season, he finished T16 at Riviera and T9 at Augusta National, demonstrating his preference of a tough test. His ability to hit the ball long and straight off the tee make him an ideal fit for Quail Hollow, despite playing pretty poorly his first time out in 2023 (T59). Young should be comfortable playing in the region as he played his college golf at Wake Forest, which is about an hour’s drive from Quail Hollow.

The 26-year-old has played well at Tom Fazio designs in the past and ranks 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on those courses in his last 36 rounds. Perhaps most importantly, this season, Young is the best player on the PGA Tour in terms of proximity from 175-200 in the fairway, which is where a plurality and many crucial shots will come from this week.

Young is an elite talent and Quail Hollow has been kind to players of his ilk who’ve yet to win on Tour.

Byeong Hun An +5000 (FanDuel)

Byeong Hun An missed some opportunities last weekend at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He finished T4 and played some outstanding golf, but a couple of missed short putts prevented him from getting to the winning score of -23. Despite not getting the win, it’s hard to view An’s performance as anything other than an overwhelming success. It was An’s fourth top-ten finish of the season.

Last week, An gained 6.5 strokes ball striking, which was 7th in the field. He also ranked 12th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th for Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The South Korean has been hitting the ball so well from tee to green all season long and he now heads to a golf course that should reward his precision.

An’s driver and long irons are absolute weapons. At Quail Hollow, players will see plenty of approach shots from the 175-200 range as well as some from 200+. In his past 24 rounds, Ben ranks 3rd in the field in proximity from 175-200 and 12th in proximity from 200+. Playing in an event that will not end up being a “birdie” fest should help An, who can separate from the field with his strong tee to green play. The putter may not always cooperate but getting to -15 is much easier than getting to -23 for elite ball strikers who tend to struggle on the greens.

Winning a “signature event” feels like a tall task for An this week with so many elite players in the field. However, he’s finished T16 at the Genesis Invitational, T16 at The Masters and T8 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 32-year-old’s game has improved drastically this season and I believe he’s ready to get the biggest win of his career.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again

Published

1 week ago

Apr 30, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.

Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.

Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”

Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.

“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.

Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.

“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”

“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”

As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.

In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.

“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”

Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.

Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:

Fairways Hit

1.) Louis Oosthuizen

2.) Anirban Lahiri

3.) Jon Rahm

4.) Brendan Steele

5.) Cameron Tringale

Greens in Regulation

1.) Brooks Koepka

2.) Brendan Steele

3.) Dean Burmester

4.) Cameron Tringale

5.) Anirban Lahiri

Birdies Made

1.) Brendan Steele

2.) Dean Burmester

3.) Thomas Pieters

4.) Patrick Reed

5.) Carlos Ortiz

LIV Golf Individual Standings:

1.) Joaquin Niemann

2.) Jon Rahm

3.) Dean Burmester

4.) Louis Oosthuizen

5.) Abraham Ancer

LIV Golf Team Standings:

1.) Crushers

2.) Legion XIII

3.) Torque

4.) Stinger GC

5.) Ripper GC

LIV Golf Singapore Picks

Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)

Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.

This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.

Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)

Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.

This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.

It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.

Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)

Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.

Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.

Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.

Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)

Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.

Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.

If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.

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